Beatrice Arthur, the tall, deep-voiced actress whose razor-sharp delivery of comedy lines made her a TV star in the hit shows “Maude” and “The Golden Girls” died Saturday.
– MSNBC

I regret that I’ve never scene a full episode of Maude. I’ve probably seen 95% of The Golden Girls episodes. Dorothy Zbornak was my favorite Golden Girl because she had an acerbic wit that made her seem like a misanthrope, but, when push came to shove, she was the dependable one you’d want as a friend. And Bea Arthur was just brilliant as Dorothy. In later years, whenever she’d appear on some comedy show, like a roast or retrospective, she was a riot.

I had an “I feel old” moment recently to have realized that it’s been 24 years since The Golden Girls premiered. I grew up with little to do on Saturday nights (imagine that), and I’m grateful that Bea Arthur and The Golden Girls were there.

Beatrice Arthur could get a huge laugh with just a long, hard, silent stare. When she opened her mouth, her ringingly authoritative voice brought forth another wave of laughter.
– Ken Tucker, Entertainment Weekly

I really loved her — and gained so much from working with her. She was deeply supportive of me at the start of my career. Her warmth wasn’t superficial — it was genuine and bespoke true compassion. And it was this same inner sweetness that made her comedy so real and touching, and made her such an inspiration.
– Mitchell Hurwitz, Creator of Arrested Development, Writer on The Golden Girls